Wondering Off At Night
by July 28th
Summary: Oneshot. Pony wonders off in the middle of the night to come to terms with Johnny, Dally, and Bob’s deaths.


One-shot. Pony wonders off in the middle of the night to come to terms with Johnny, Dally, and Bob's deaths.

This is something I was already half done with when I posted my other One-Shot so people that like The time was 7:49 at night check out my bio. It explains what I plan to do with that one.

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Simple enough.

Pony's P.O.V.

I couldn't scream, I couldn't find my voice. The thunder struck in the background somewhere and I woke up in a cold sweat shaking uncontrollably under Sodapop's arm. I sat up and clenched my eyes shut. I didn't want to bawl, I was fourteen years old! My eyes filled though and I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to calm down. Damnit. Soda moaned for a minute before groggily sitting up. I took a deep breath as he muttered my name and stopped my shaking.

"Nightmare?" He asked still trying to sit up all the way.

I nodded slowly. Don't cry, greasers don't cry, fourteen year old kids don't cry from nightmares.

"I'm okay Soda." I lied.

"You sure honey?" Soda asked me suddenly sounding more awake.

He tossed an arm over my shoulders and I averted my eyes.

"Yeah, here let me up and I'll just get some chocolate milk or somethin'. Go back to sleep okay?" Soda gave my shoulder a squeeze and lay back down.

I slid off the bed with my breathing finally returning to normal. I glanced at the lamp light we left on in case I ever had a nightmare and cursed myself. Steve was right sometimes. I was too old to be acting like a kid. The nightmare though, it seemed so real.

"Wake me if you need anything."

"'Course." I absently replied and after stretching my legs for a tad I walked out into the kitchen

I edged around quietly not wanting to wake Darry. Every time I had a nightmare he had a tendency to run in and see what was up.

I was fourteen years old. I collapsed on the couch for a minute and buried my face in my hands. I didn't remember the entire nightmare, but the part with the fire and Johnny.

I held the tears at bay and cursed myself again. I looked at the door and remembered the night Darry hit me. That night…I can't take this sometimes. I grabbed a jacket and slipped into the bathroom where I had a pair of jeans still sitting on the counter. I put them on and then checked for a pack of cigarettes. I had school tomorrow but I couldn't go to sleep now—not if that nightmare came back.

I used to have them about Mom and Dad's death but now I was having a lot more about Johnny and Dally. And that night with the Soc's…

I quietly opened the door and shuffled out heading blankly toward the open lot. Flopping down in the same place Johnny and I had that night I titled my head back and looked toward the sky. I didn't care what time it was.

Two-Bit's P.O.V.

I walked in the direction of home swaying back and forth uncontrollably. How many beers did I have tonight? Shoot, I couldn't remember after the fourth one. I gulped another bit down and hit the side of a tree resting for a second. That blonde tonight was hot, shame I never got her phone number but somewhere along the line it skipped my mind.

I scanned the area stopping at the lot. I focused for a minute seeing a figure. I'd think it was Johnny if not for recent events. I stumbled forward and paused when I got a better view of the figure.

It was a guy smoking a cigarette—hell it looked like Ponyboy but shoot that kid wouldn't be out at this time at night. Darry'd have a hernia.

Well, Mom was asleep so I suddenly decided to pop over at the Curtis' house. They wouldn't mind and plus they'd have hangover medicine. I flew in the door forgetting not to slam it. The frame shook but I walked forward to the door of Soda and Pony's room.

He'd be there, the kid wasn't stupid.

Soda's P.O.V.

I awoke for the second time this night to see a figure standing in the doorway. I blinked rapidly double taking before I realized it was Two-Bit.

"The kid's not here with you?" He asked his voice slurred.

I shook my head at first and then subconsciously slid my hand over to touch Ponyboy's arm. There was nothing. I flipped over to the empty bed and my heart skipped a beat.

He'd gotten up earlier after having a nightmare.

"Pony!" I shouted a little louder than intended.

Where had he gone! I knew he'd been having a hard time after Johnny and Dally's death but where would he go?

I sprung to my feet tossing off the covers and pushed passed Two-Bit to the living room.

"He isn't here?" I asked the obviously but I couldn't stop the ominous feeling of worry that was growing in my chest.

I slammed open the bathroom door finding him no where here and I turned on Two-Bit.

"Where is he? How did you know he was gone?" I couldn't hide the panic in my voice.

We'd just got Pony back, we couldn't lose him again! I'd promised to protect him, how could this have happened?

I heard Darry's door open and he rushed out eyes wide in questioning. I barely took my eyes off Two-Bit to tell him Pony was gone.

"What!" He yelled and I turned back on Two-Bit.

"Where did he go!" I was losing my patience with our drunk friend.

Darry immediately grabbed a jacket and checked the rooms like I had.

"I thought," Two-Bit grabbed the table for stamina, "I saw him at the lot. He was just smokin'."

I stopped listening and cast a glance at Darry who already had the keys. Ponyboy had given us the hell of the scare in the last few months, I have no idea why he'd ever go out at night.

We hopped in the car and I rolled the window down surveying our surroundings. What was he thinking going out at night after he got jumped a month ago? Darry was right, the kid didn't use his head sometimes.

"Cool off Soda," Darry told me immediately being the head of reason.

I agreed but couldn't calm my nerves. My little brother was out there somewhere for God knows how long. We pulled up to the lot and I hopped out of the car before we were fully stopped. I saw the ember first and then picked out the figure of Pony. I let out a sigh of relief and walked forward before Darry cut me off.

"Ponyboy what the hell do you think you're doing!" Darry practically screamed and I bit my lip.

Sometimes Darry just didn't know how to handle the kid. Pony didn't even at us but kept staring into the distance. Darry sent me a concerned glance and I nodded walking forward.

"Hey buddy, are you okay?" I asked noticing Darry a few steps behind me.

Pony hardly noticed and for a second I realized he was resting the cigarette on his leg, the ember burning through his pants.

"Pony!" I jumped forward grabbing his hand and he instantly dropped the cigarette flinching.

"Soda?" He asked suddenly looking around.

He just snapped out of a trance. I wrapped my arms around him and brought him into a hug.

"Sorry Soda," He muttered into my chest, "Just needed a chance to think."

Glory this kid worried me sometimes.

I looked up at Darry and followed his eyes to the pile of recently used cigarettes. This kid was gonna smoke so much he'd get sick.

"Pony," I heard Darry's soft voice and I knew he was trying to restrain himself, "Soda come on it is a week night. Let's go home and we'll talk about this in the morning."

I breathed another sigh of relief easing my grip on Pony. He still looked daze like we'd just woken an him up from a dream and he didn't know what was real and what was not.

I helped him up and he stomped out the cigarette that was smoking on the ground.

"Glory kid, you friggin' burned yourself." I said noticing the small wound on his leg where the ember had went straight through his pants and hit his leg. It wasn't that bad but something we'd still have to wrap it up.

"What were you thinking about?" I asked guiding him to the car.

He was titling his head to the sky and I heard him sigh but never respond.

Darry had opened the door for us and Pony sat between the two of us. "How long were you out there. You didn't even have a coat Ponyboy…think about it next time." Darry muttered on until we got home.

I cast a glance at my kid brother and saw that same stranger lost in thought. Ever since Johnny died Pony would just tune out and he would only snap back when we called his name or touched him or somethin'. I could always tell what Ponyboy was thinking for the most part but this stranger he turned into sometimes…I could hardly come up with a good guess at what he was thinking about.

His eyes were staring at the dashboard in front of him but I doubt he even saw it. I resisted the urge to shake his shoulder to get our Ponyboy back.

Darry pulled up at our house and was slow to get out. I knew he was worried about Ponyboy too though he had a hell of a way of showing it.

"Come on Pony," I beckoned him opening the door.

Ponyboy nodded his head for a second than slid out of the car and waited for me to walk beside him as we headed to the house. I was half expecting for Darry to start a lecture but he just dropped the keys down on the table and called me over. Pony sent me a sad look and I in return just gave him a carefree smile.

"Yeah?" I asked when we were both sure he was out of hearing range.

Darry hesitated on what to say at first and found something to set his eyes on before he spoke. "That kid worries me, take care of him okay, and see if you can find out what is up."

I knew it hurt Darry not to have that bond with Pony that I had but I just nodded anyway and walked off to bed.

Pony's P.O.V.

I crashed into bed without even bothering to take off Dally's jacket and glanced over at that lamp we left on. I sucked in a deep breath and leaned over to turn it off. This was, inconveniently, when Soda walked it. I didn't want to worry him but he worried too much anyway.

"Hey Pony," He said pausing to take off his shoes and hopping in the bed only seconds after I rolled out of his way.

"Why'd ya turn the lamp off?" He asked but not really demanding an answer—a trait of Soda I was thankful for because I really didn't want to answer.

Though I knew he was going to ask me about tonight sooner or later and to be honest I hardly even remember. I mean, I went out there and they picked me up but it seemed like a dream itself.

Soda swung an arm over me and I knew I wouldn't be able to get up again without waking him.

With his free hand he tossed the blanket over us and I stared up at the ceiling waiting for him to talk, to ask anything. He didn't though and I knew he was waiting for me to say something about it. If it were anyone else but Sodapop I'd probably never say anything at all.

"Um, Johnny and Dally, and Bob" I said very quietly but he heard and I could feel him tense slightly. "I've just about got it figured out."

He was quiet for a minute.

"That a good thing?"

"Yeah," I knew he was just doing it for a laugh and I took the bait, "Of course idiot."

Okay, that ending disappointed me but REVIEW to tell me what you think. I mainly did it for the scene of wondering off at night to smoke a cigarette in the lot. Tell me what you think.

Ending any good?

Whole story worth the time it took?

Realistic?


End file.
